Youth worker from Northumberland jailed after having sex with teen

Jade Newbould exchanged a total of 17,000 WhatsApp messages which included flirty chat with the teen before they turned sexual in nature.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the pair "got a kick" out of keeping their relationship hidden and the defendant even got the male's name tattooed on her stomach and kept photos of them together at her home.

They chatted about going on dates and giving each other massages before they eventually met up on at least five occasions for sex.

Judge Timothy Gittins jailed her for 12 months and labelled the behaviour entirely "inappropriate."

Prosecutor Emma Dowling told the court: "The defendant began speaking to the youth.

"The defendant and the youth exchanged more than 17,000 messages using WhatsApp over a period of two months.

"She encouraged him to make the first approach of a sexual nature to her."

Ms Dowling said that messages indicated reference to the pair holding hands and going on cinema dates, where sexual activity supposedly took place on one occasion.

Newbould, now 29, also said they were the "perfect match" before she was eventually caught.

The court heard that the pair met up for sex on five occasions and Ms Dowling said: “It's clear from the messages that they engaged in other sexual activity.

"It's also clear they were getting a kick out of keeping their relationship from others.

"It's the prosecution's submission from items seized from Ms Newbould's home address she had a different view of her relationship with the young person.

"She had photos of them as a couple in her bedroom and had gone to the extent of having his first name tattooed on her stomach."

The court heard that Newbould's behaviour eventually came to light and the police were called.

In interview, she chose not to reply to questions put to her, but denied any wrongdoing.

But Newbould, of Orchard Way, Bedlington, later pleaded guilty to five counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child in a breach of trust.

Judge Gittins also made her subject to the Sex Offender's register for a period of ten years.

The judge said: "That sexual activity was in breach of your position of trust.

"The large number of messages, 17,000, demonstrate the extent of that unprofessional and inappropriate contact, contact that was highly sexualised in its conduct it's clear you engaged in planning for penetrative sexual activity that occurred."

Brian Hegarty, defending, told the court that Newbould had been at a "low ebb" at the time and was on medication following personal difficulties she had experienced earlier in her life.

Mr Hegarty said: "The defendant has said she now looks back upon her actions with shame and embarrassment.

"She has lost the career she was in before but perhaps more importantly to her she's lost her good name she previously had.”

The court also heard Newbould was doing well in her new job and is now in a stable relationship.